Gusset-type packages made of sheet materials are commonly utilized in many fields to hold food, chemicals, liquids, and a myriad of other materials. Further, the gussets are utilized on side and/or end portions of the packages to provide spatial surface flexibility of the packages, thus facilitating expansion and contraction of the internal volume of the package. When the packages are empty they take up minimum volume, and as they are filled the internal volume expands to a maximum volume level, depending on the size of the packages and the corresponding gusset(s). Consequently, gusseted packages are capable of maximizing material storage and handling in a full state, while still having beneficial contraction properties that facilitate storage, handling, shipping, and disposal in a substantially empty state.
Conventional gusseted packages utilize gusset portions at the side and/or bottom end portions of the package such that openings, such as a re-closeable device, can be integrated into the top end portion of the package. This configuration allows for the benefits of the gusset features and provides an access opening for filling and emptying the material contents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,913,561, 5,692,837, and 6,186,663 disclose such packaging. The innate drawback of this type of packaging lies in the measurable reduction in material holding resulting from the location and design of the re-closeable access opening. The zipper-type openings merely serve to close off the top portion of the package by pulling together the top portions of the front and back panels. This closure technique significantly reduces the internal holding volume of the package since, in a closed position, the side gussets are forced to contact at the end proximate the access opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,378 discloses an attempt to accommodate for this internal volume reduction by adding a relatively rigid triangular fin assembly that extends upward away from the package panels and integrated gussets. This fin assembly includes a re-closeable zipper-type opening. Such a configuration permits full use of the internal volume provided by the gusseted portions of the package. However, this type of gusseted package merely introduces different problems. First, the fin assembly introduces complexity into the manufacturing and use of the product. Second, the fin assembly adds sizeable mass to the package that is detrimental to storage, handling, shipping, and disposal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,461,845, 5,782,733, and 5,954,433 disclose attempts to reduce the discussed internal volume reduction that occurs when a re-closeable opening is achieved by joining at least two flexible package panels. These patents are directed to re-closeable access openings that permit access in and out of the internal cavity of the package through the front or back non-gusseted panels. As a result, the internal volume capacity of the package is not substantially reduced by joining two panels, thus avoiding many of the problems associated with the resulting measurable collapse of the side gussets. However, these patents are limited to using these single panel access devices on front or back panel portions. When access devices are limited to front and back panel portions of the packages, manufacturing flexibility and convenience-of-use are greatly sacrificed. The location for handles, the size of the re-closeable device, and a myriad of other packaging features, designs, and methods are negatively effected by the limited integration options of the re-closeable devices.
Further, pouring efficiency and convenience is sacrificed. Typically, the front and back panels are understood to be larger than the side panels, with most re-closeable devices being some size measurably smaller than the width of these front and back panels. As a result, there are generally significant spaces between the edges of these front and back panels and the ends of the re-closeable device. This wasted space is the primary cause of the pouring inefficiency. It is difficult to guide the content material efficiently through the re-closeable device. Inevitably, the contents will channel to the internal package area above, below, and to the sides of the re-closeable device such that forceful shaking and tilting are required to get the flow of material correctly directed through the re-closeable device.
As a result, there is a need for a flexible package that substantially solves the above-referenced problems present with conventional package designs, configurations, and manufacturing methods.